According to *Times of Oman news report, RAK Properties, a leading UAE-based property developer and tourism infrastructure company, has announced a collaboration with RMJM, a British architectural design firm, to create an outdoor entertainment venue on Hayat Island at Mina Al Arab in Ras Al Khaimah.

The project will be developed into a destination for both visitors and residents, the developer said in a statement. It is expected to draw a large number of tourists to the northern emirate by offering a weekend getaway, RAK Properties added.

Designed for current trends and modern demands, with entertainment options, extraordinarily designed landscapes and bespoke retail and F&B outlets, the beachfront project will provide a four-dimensional experience that will encourage people to spend time in the open air and sea, said Sultan Al Qadi, managing director of RAK Properties.

“RAK is the country’s fastest emerging tourism market, and this alongside the Intercontinental and Anantara launch will be an important addition to RAK’s offerings for international and domestic tourists and residents. We are very excited to announce this project. I can say that it will be full of surprises,” he added.

Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority has said that it has registered promising year-on-year increases and its latest report shows a 14% increase on the number of international visitors in the emirate in the first half of 2018.

The authority says that the emirate is likely to receive more than one million visitors by the end of 2018. It added that it aims to have three million visitors annually by 2025.

Al Qadi said that RMJM was selected for its globally renowned capabilities in architecture, master planning and interior design.

“We are confident that RMJM will create a new signature hub for tourists in the emirate,” he said.

“We are very excited to be working with RAK Properties on this premium leisure and entertainment destination. This will be the first project of its kind in the region, and the aim is for visitors to feel as if it developed organically at the site,” said Sotiris Tsoulos, the lead design director at RMJM.

“In line with RMJM’s design approach and principles, the public realm will enhance everyday life.”

Hayat Island, the site for the project, will be a fully-integrated mixed-use development spread over 6 million sq ft. It is one of two islands that comprise Mina Al Arab, an established waterfront community in Ras Al Khaimah.